Internally driven power roller



June 23, 1931. H HORNSBY INTERNALLY DRIVEN POWER ROLLER Filed March 8,1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l //wE/v7v/& #1916040 h o e/vsey 57 ,1"

June 23, 1931. H. HORNSBY 1,811,394

INTERNALLY DRIVEN POWER ROLLER Filed March 8, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fie.2.

IHI

Patented June 23, 1931 UNITED STATES HAROLD HORNSBY, 0F SCUNTHORPE,ENGLAND INTERNALLY DRIVEN POWER ROLLER Application filed March 8, 1930.Serial No. 434,422.

This invention relates to a power-driven roller suitable for rollingpaths, lawns and any other surfaces, and concerns rollers of the kindwherein a power unit and drivmg gear are contained wholly within theroller and supported on a weighted body freely suspended from theroller. axle, and wherein the steering handle and its frame areconnected to the said internally disposed drivlng gear for causing thesame to operate on the roller for driving the same selectively inopposite directions as and when required.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure1 is a sectional plan View of the roller.

Figure 2 is a sectional front view thereof.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view.

, Figure 4 is a cross-section of the roller, 11- lustrating a form ofbraking mechanism that may be employed.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

In carrying out the invention and referring to the drawings, an internalcombustion engine 1 is mounted on a heavily weighted body 2 freelysuspended by arms 3 from the axle 4 of the roller 5, said axle 4 beingfitted with opposed arms or levers 6 to whlch the handle 7 of the rolleris connected.

The gearing, which is of the friction type, comprises a pair of rollers,respectively 8 and 9, each of which is rotatably mounted on adisplaceable element 10 adapted to swing about the axis ofshaft 4, andrigidly fixed to said shaft, said element 10 being hereinafter moreparticularly described, and a pair of greater diameter rollers 11 and 12respectively, each rotatably mounted in bearings mounted onthe weightedbody 2 aforesaid.

Of the rollers 11 and 12, which are always in contact with one another,the roller 12 is driven from the engine 1 through suitable reductiongear indicated at 13.

The roller axle 4 at one end is provided 7 with a longitudinal andcentral bore which communicates with the interior of one of the rollerarms 6 for the passage of the carburetter control wires, fuel beingdrawn from a tank (not shown) inside the roller and mounted over thegear box.

For a forward rotation of the roller 5, the arms or levers 6 aredepressed to turn the axle 4 and, by the resultant movement of thedisplaceable member 10, bring the roller 8 into close contact with theinner surface of the shell of the roller 5 and the roller 12, whilst theroller 9 remains clear of the inner surface of said shell.

That is to say, the drive from engine 1 to roller 5 is by way ofreduction gear 13, roller 12, and roller 8, and the shell of the roller5 aforesaid, the roller 11 running idle.

For a rotation of the roller 5 in reverse direction, the arms or levers6 are swung over in the opposite direction and depressed to turn theroller axle 4 and displaceable member so as to bring the roller 9 intoclose contact with the inner surface of the shell of the roller 5,whilst the roller 8 remains clearof the inner surface of the shellaforesaid.

That is to say, the drive from engine 1 to roller 5 is by way ofreduction gear 13, roller 11 and roller 9 and shell of the roller 5aforesaid.

The roller 5 is provided with suitable openings in both ends thereof foraccess to engine and other parts, and the controls, not shown in thedrawings, are conveniently mounted on the handle of the roller.

- The displaceable member above referred to is constituted by a rigidarm 14 fixed to the axis 4 of the roller drum, and to the outer end ofsaid arm 14 is pivotally connected at its centre a rocker 15 carrying atits respective ends the'rollers 8 and 9 adapted to cooperate with thefriction discs 11 and 12 in the manner hereinbefore set forth. Each ofthe elements 14 and 15 is, in practice, of double-cheek formation, i. e.composed of identical spaced-apart members. The formation of theT-shaped displaceable member formed by the members 14 and 15, and theconsequent'positions of the rollers 8 and 9 is such that when either oneof said rollers is in driving position (e. g. the roller 8 as shown inFigure 1) the other roller (e. g. roller 9, Figure l) is out of contactwith the interior of the drum and also out of contact with an internaltyre 16 formed on the interior of the drum. The pivotal supporting ofthe rocker 15 on the arm 14: allows of the said rocker adjusting itselfto a most convenient position for driving when either roller 8 or 9 isin use.

The internal. tyre l6 upstands from the main periphery of the drum 5 andsince said tyre 16 forms the actual contacting surface for the rollers 8and 9, the latter are kept out of contact with the inner surface of thedrum shell itself so that any oil or greasy foreign matter which maybecome deposited on said drum shell will not be transferred to therollers 8 and 9 and interfere with the friction gripping thereof. l f

I may, if desired, provide braking means for arresting: movement of theroller and guarding against unintentional rolling there- :of when out ofuse, which conveniently may be of the form illustrated in. F igure 1.The said braking means comprises a brake shoe l7 shaped to conform tothe contour of the drum and screwed or otherwise securedupon anoperating rod 18 slidably mounted in the weighted body 2, which latteris, for a suitable length, enlarged in bore in order to accommodate acoil compression spring 19.

which bears against a collar 20 screwed on to the upper end of the rod18 and thereby urges th-ebrake shoe to an innermost position. In

a bracket 21 mounted upon the weighted body 2 there is pivotally mounteda lever 22, one end of which isfurnished with asetscrew 23 adapted tobear upon the end of rod 18 and to be adjusted by rotational move ment.To the 'otherend of lever 22 is connected an actuating wire 24 whichpasses through a flexible tubular casing 25into and along an axial borein the shaft 1 from which it emerges'outside the boundary of the drum'5, said wire then extending up one of the handle shafts to andbeing'connected to any suitable hand-operated actuating-device on thehandle in the proximity of the operators hands. It will befollowed thata pull on said wire 24 impartedby the actuating device will result inthe lever 22 being rocked and the rod 18 depressed, with resultantapplication of thebrake shoe on to the inner surface of the drum. 7 i YThe above-described mechanism therefore provides a manually-operatedbrake which can be applied whilst the angle of the handle 6 with respectto the ground remains constant, i; e( the most convenient position inuse, but I also provide for actuation of the brake automatically byswinging movements of the-handle 6'in such a mannerth at'whilst the saidhandle remains held by the operator in the requisite inclined positionduring roll 1ng operations, the brake remains released, whereas, whenthe handle is allowed to swing up to vertical position, the'brake isautomatically applied. This is effected by forming the axle. 4, at eachposition where the suspension brackets 3 for the weight 2 are mountedthereon, with a fiat 26 on its periphery, and by forming the bearingapertures 27 in the brackets 3'suiiiciently large to allow rotationalmovement of the axle 4: therein and with a configuration which permits aflat at the top ofthe aperture. It will therefore be realized that whenthe axle is in a position where its flattened peripheral portions areuppermost and horizontal, thus corresponding toa vertical position ofthe handle "6', the flat portions of the apertures 27 wilbbear on saidflat axle portion, and the weight 2 is then in a position in which thebrake shoe'll' bears against the drum, the

mass of the'weight, 2 and associated parts thereon being utilized toexert'thebraking effort 6 in a direction on either side of a verticalupstanding. position will cause the flats 26 onthe. axle to incline fromthe horizontaland the remaining circular portion of the axle peripherywhich then approaches the flat portions ofthe aperturesy27 willcause-the brackets 3 and consequently the weight 2 and brake shoe 17 tobe lifted, with resultant release of the brakingefiort. 7

It will be followed also that owing to the aforesaid arrangement offlats on the axle and weight-suspension brackets there will be atendencyfor the handle to swing upwardly automatically when out of use, due tothe mass of the weighted body as affected by gravity. Thus, except whenrolling operations areactually in progress, the roller will beautomatically braked. V

lclaim:. g V v Y 1. A power-driven roller for the purposes specified,having contained within the drum asuspended weighted body on which aremounted a power unit and rotatable friction discs constantly driven bysaid'p ower unit, and having a displaceable element carrying rollersadapted tobe brought, into use Swinging movement of thehandleselectively to 'frictionally transmit the drive means for exerting abrakingelforton the roller drum automatically by movement of the guidinghandle to out-of use position, and for automatically releasing suchbrakingeffort, by movement of said'handle toa position for use.- y 1 I3. In a power driven roller of the character described, a brake adaptedto operate on the roller drum, means for applying said brake vautomatically by movement of the guiding handle to out-of-use position,and for automatically releasing said brake by movement of said handle toa position for use, and other means for applying said brake by manualcontrol independently of movement of the guiding handle.

4. A power driven roller of the character described, characterized inthat the axle which forms the axis of the swinging movement of thehandle and moves therewith, is formed with a flat on its periphery, aweight and means for suspending the weight from said axle said meansincluding a bearing aperture for said axle having a flat in itsconfiguration adapted to co-act with the flat on the axle in such amanner as to raise the weight when the guiding handle is swung down to aposition for use and lower said weight when said handle is swung up tooutof-use position, the said downward movement of the weight and massthereof being utilized for applying a braking effort on the drum.

5. In a power driven roller of the character described, a weight, abrake shoe carried by the suspended weight and adapted to operate on theinner periphery of the drum, means for automatically raising the weightand brake shoe by movement of the guiding handle to position for use,with resultant release of the brake and for automatically lowering theweight and brake with resultant brake application when the guidinghandle is moved to out-of-use position, and means operable from theguiding handle independently of swinging movements thereof for movingthe brake shoe relative to the weight and pressing it into contact withthe roller drum for braking purposes.

6. A power driven roller for the purposes specified comprising incombination a rotatable drum having contained therewithin a suspendedweighted body on which are mounted a power unit and rotatable frictiondisc constantly driven by saidpower unit, a displaceable element alsocontained within said drum and adapted to swing about the axis of thedrum and comprising an arm secured to the drum axle, a rocker pivotallyattached to said arm and a pair of friction rollers mounted one on eachend of said rocker adapted to be brought into use selectively totransmit the drive frictionally to the roller drum to rotate same in oneor the other direction, a guiding handle for the roller adapted to swingabout the drum axis and transmit its movements to the displaceableelement in order to elfect driving of the roller in the directionrequired, a brake shoe carried by the suspended weight and adapted tooperate on the inner periphery of the drum,

HAROLD HORNSBY.

